Rosalie Richards
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Thanks for the Memories!--and Here's the Plan--

7/7/2016

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​As I said last week, this will be the final post for a few months.

I’m grateful for the time with this blog. 

The goal of the weekly posts was to empower those of us who have that interesting obstacle in our lives called MS; to find out about the studies that bring the end of symptoms—even the end of MS—nearer. 

The other goal was to give us ways to get our bodies ready to re-assume past abilities.  (I believe my neurologist, who tells me that when the solution to demyelation of MS nerve coverings arrives that we will need to have muscles that have not wilted through non-use).

What I found were studies and evidence not only that diet, exercise and attitude impacts our experience with MS—but studies that explore in detail what in particular will help with which symptoms. 
I also have found that the studies that explore real and final solutions to MS are much more plentiful than they were when I was diagnosed. 

That leads me to two points.

First, the most recent study which puts the regimen leading to healing in our hands, is one I call “Of Mice and MS” (thanks and apologies to John Steinbeck). 
Mice were infected with an MS-like disease, and then given a 21-day food regimen, similar to the 5:2 which famous Hollywood moguls use to achieve svelte-like figures (http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/jimmy-kimmel-and-hugh-jackman-have-both-tried-fasting-diets-do-they-work-w166739). 
The difference, this was 4:3.  Four days of normal food intake, 3 days of low calorie eating  The important part of the plan was the alternating days—important.  This was not just a starvation regimen.  4:3 means there would be a short period which allowed such small calorie intake that cells would be willing to die, followed by a period of normal daily calories, so that they would re-create.
What were the results?  After 21 days 100% of the mice had improved symptoms, and of those, 20% had No Remaining Symptoms. 

Their question:  Would this work on humans?  They tried a variation of this plan on humans, found it completely safe:  1 week of 300 to 400 calories a day followed by either a high fat or a Mediterranean diet plan—for six months.

My question:  Would this work on me?
Since the authors of the study believed that the efficacy depends on alternating the low calorie days with normal calorie days (http://www.wsj.com/articles/could-extremely-low-calorie-diets-help-some-illnesses-1465840207), I decided to follow a 4:3 pattern each week for 3 weeks.  I also decided that since the mice had very recently been infected, that I would not expect to be completely symptom free in 21 days.  But—I would expect improvement.
 
I also decided to combine Mediterranean and Paleo diets—including low fat meat, loads of veggies and fruit, and, if I chose, wine and/or starches on the ‘relaxed regimen’ days. 

First result:  after 14 days I found my first symptom—a stiffness in my left knee joint when I first get up –gone. 

Next result:  after a few more days the accustomed feeling of a little electrical shock in my right shoulder when I get up was gone.  Days after that it came back, milder, but still….  Then it was gone again.  Now, 3 weeks after the diet regimen, it is gone still.

Tally: two small symptoms licked. 

That leads me to my second point.  I would rather have a procedure done unto me.  It is so much easier to imagine going into the hospital, going to sleep, waking up again, symptoms and myelation all healed.

That day will come.

For now, I have decided that this food plan is no longer is my diet regimen, it is the way I want to live my life.
During the next years I will note when symptoms change in either direction.  I will also celebrate!

Meanwhile, want to tell you how I have enjoyed checking in weekly with these posts over the past months.  If you have comments, ideas, I would value reading them.

Thank you again, so much.  I will see you again in a few months.

Rosalie


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SUPPORT GROUPS—Do what works for you!

6/30/2016

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We all want to be surrounded with support!  But what is available, and what works for us? 

When I was first diagnosed the neurologist urged me to find a support group of fellow diagnosed people.  That was the last thing I wanted at the time. I preferred denial, living my life as though MS didn’t exist, not having to talk about it, I preferred not being there! 

That has shifted.  Years later I find that I feel a kinship and sense of camaraderie with fellow diagnosed people.  We don’t need to talk about symptoms or medication or anything to do with MS, I just like them, know they have dealt with a lot of things I have, and here they are, we are all survivors at this point!  I am much more ready for a support group.

Results of studies say that support is not one-size-fits-all.  We are unique, and we experience different needs at different points in our journey.  We can make our MS our own-do what works for us. 

Here are some forms of support groups.

Traditional support groups--The most obvious sort of support group is one of people with MS who get together weekly or monthly to discuss issues.

There are studies that point to the help of groups that meet in person, and this provides a boost to many people by providing not only camaraderie, but helpful information (https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-77956650152&origin=inward&txGid=0, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249770/). 

Some people are not reached by this method, though.  One group that is hesitant to go is men who are diagnosed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4338643/). 

Even when people do participate, it isn’t always helpful.  One small study showed that participants felt less robust emotionally after an 8-week support group session (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14760957). 

What about those of us who need a different approach?

Online support groups--The new approach is online support (http://her.oxfordjournals.org/content/16/6/693.full). 

There has been a bias against this.  One service provider that I interviewed said that this is not the quality of support that in-person support groups provide. 

Nevertheless, there is a growth of online and social media support groups for all sorts of challenges, including MS. 

The online group that I enjoy is through the yoga regimen known as DDPYoga.  People who buy the program of DVDs are part of a large and active online community—and a subgroup is for MS diagnosed people.  This is a small group which includes a man, and several women.  Some of us check in weekly, some a few times a year.  If one of us has a question about a regimen or new treatment someone else has done research on it and can tell us more.  Positive support is a given in our interactions.  It is my sort of group.

Online referrals--There is a site that gives links to supports for people with MS (www.healthline.com/health/multiple-sclerosis/support-groups#Overview1). 

Books--I constantly am being referred to books by friends with MS.  The first support I found involved two books.  The first book that I read (The MS Recovery Diet by Sawyer and Bachrach) gave me an unexpected feeling of camaraderie and kinship with people whose stories were in it.  The second was a book which I put together (Beyond MS  Your Best Life) by interviewing 20 people with MS.  Their stories taught me coping skills and gave me a sense of being in this with other people who had backbone and humor to spare. 
 
                                                                                                   *****

These are the sort of support that I have come across.  If you have others to share, I would like to pass them on in the next blog, which will be my final one for the next few months.  Next week I will share the results of my mini-trial of a ‘mice-and-MS’ study that had great results for mice—I want to know what happens when humans give it a go. 
​
Till next week!
Rosalie


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Tai chi--Lowers Distinct MS Symptoms

6/23/2016

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The number of new studies on proposed therapies and regimens—with positive results— suggests that the cure for MS is on the horizon, that it's practically coming into view. 
 
Meanwhile, until that day, how do we get our bodies ready to experience the ability which restored nerve myelin sheaths will recover?  As one neurologist said to me, when the cure comes, we want our bodies to be ready for more movement—no atrophy for us!  One option is Tai chi.
 
Benefits of Tai chi
 
Movement, Strength and Balance

A study presented in 2016 on the use of Tai chi to regain strength and balance.  Researchers identified Tai chi as helpful for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with impaired balance.  It can improve endurance and strength and decrease fatigue (https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox). 
 
Other studies agree—movement and balance and strength are improved with Tai chi
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1744388114000632, http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Living-Well-With-MS/Health-Wellness/Exercise/Adaptive-Tai-Chi). 
 
Walking speed and Hamstring Flexibility

Another study reported  increased walking speed and hamstring flexibility (C. Husted, L. Pham, A. Hekking, and R. Niederman, “Improving quality of life for people with chronic conditions: the example of T'ai chi and multiple sclerosis,” Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 70–74, 1999.) after an 8-week Tai chi exercise program.  The authors suggest that during Tai chi exercise our muscles are learning how to achieve movements that we will be able to use in our regular daily activities. 

Other Specific Results

Here are specific findings of how Tai chi and Quigong (a similar meditative movement exercise) improve our health.  In a search of studies, seventy-seven articles met the inclusion criteria for peer review articles with the evidence for achieving outcomes from randomized controlled trials.   Here are the areas where trials showed that these exercises help us--
     Bone density (n [n=number of studies that found this result]=4)
     Cardiopulmonary effects (n=19)
     Physical function (n=16)
     Falls and related risk factors (n=23)
     Quality of Life (n=17)
     Psychological symptoms (n=27)
     Immune function (n=6)
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3085832/.
 
Can We Injure Ourselves?
Some exercises can be overdone.   Tai chi doesn’t have this risk.  It is not only effective but also safe (http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2013/502131/). 

What if Tai chi classes aren’t available to me?
Some of us don’t live near a Tai chi class.  What about us? 
 
We can use internet and our computers.  Youtube has classes in Tai chi and Qigong. 
 
Some Youtube Tai chi and Quigong classes--
  •  An 8-minute exercise class, explained as you go through it (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNtWqDxwwMg).  This is my favorite class, but there are others that are great for advancing.
  • This class that comes with relaxing music (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIOHGrYCEJ4).  This class lasts longer—from 20 minutes to an hour is suggested by the instructor.
  • Qigong—here is a four-minute exercise routine (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaEZVfhn07o). 
             A master Qigong instructor leads this hour long session
 
What if I am in a wheelchair, or if I can’t stand without help?
We can do these movements seated, in a wheelchair or in our dining room chair--
  • Here is one link to a movement without instructions (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHBR5MZmEsY). 
  • Here is one with instructions as you move in your chair—https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwMT2JVUkDQ. 
  • I tried the 8-minute class (#1, above) from a chair and it was great—we can make the Tai chi program our own, as DDP Yoga says!
 
These movements encourage relaxation and de-stressing, and it is easy to step into the movements, to feel the energy of the programs. 

Whatever We Do, Let’s Do Something!
We have much we can do to make our experience of MS stronger, more relaxed, with higher energy.  We don’t have to sit still and do nothing while we wait for the cure.  Tai chi is one of the most enjoyable ways to help lower significant symptoms in the meantime.
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Reset Our Bodies to Before MS?

6/16/2016

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You can reset your computer to an earlier date, before there were any problems.

A new study suggests we might do this to our bodies:  return to pre-MS. 

The Reset-Our-Body-to-Before-MS Study
In May of 2016 a study considered this question.  Will a diet regimen significantly impact autoimmune diseases?
(http://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com/2016/05/31/reverse-ms-dieting-new-report-states/, http://www.wsj.com/articles/could-extremely-low-calorie-diets-help-some-illnesses-1465840207, http://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(16)30576-9.)  [Note:  The authors of the study emphasize:  (1) this is not a substitute for medication, (2) always check with a medical professional before trying.]
 
The Regimen
Mice were infected with autoimmune disease, similar to MS.  Then they were put on a 21-day experiment—3 days of low calories, followed by 4 days of regular intake—over the period of 3 weeks. 

Results
The results were not just hopeful, they were astounding. 
1.  For all of the mice symptoms were reduced. 
2.  For 20% of them all symptoms disappeared!

The results are worth reading in more detail: 
  • Reduced Disease Severity of Disease Symptoms
  • Reduced Infiltration of Immune Cells to the Spinal Cord
  • Increased the Number of Naive Cells (This means cells without MS markers or memory)
  • Reduced the Level and Reactivity of Established Autoimmune Cells
  • Stimulated Remyelination [my bold—this is unusual, maybe unheard of!]
 
What about humans? 
This plan was tried in a pilot study on 60 people with Relapsing MS.  The regimen was changed:  1 week of a diet low in calories (300 to 400) followed by 6 months of another diet.  The control group did nothing different, no low calorie, no particular diet. 
Results: 
  1.  People who did the semi-fast followed by Mediterranean diet showed most improvement in symptoms. 
  2. For every participant the regimen they followed was found to be completely safe.
 
Is it better to fast for a long time instead of a few days? 
NO!
That isn’t how it works.  The primary author of the study, Vance Longo of the University of Southern California, said:  “Periodic fasting shows the most promise in getting rid of bad cells and making good ones for regeneration” (http://www.wsj.com/articles/could-extremely-low-calorie-diets-help-some-illnesses-1465840207). 
The authors stress that this is not about a continual low calorie (400 calories) diet plan.  They believe that this worked for the mice because it is a continual changing of diet—from a few days very low to a few days normal—changing all of the time.  [The suggestion is that this will also help ameliorate the negative effects of chemo (https://www.elsevier.com/connect/fasting-may-protect-against-immune-related-effects-of-chemotherapy-and-aging).]
 
Will it work on someone else, like me?
I want to give it 3 weeks and see what happens.  My question:  will symptoms be lessened—or even disappear?
 
My thoughts--
  1. Regimen—Instead of trying a week of 400 calories followed by 6 months of Mediterranean, I will try the regimen for three weeks, more as it was first designed, changing often, and I will tweak the diet:  3 days low calorie followed by 4 days Paleo/Mediterranean plan. 
  2. The mice showed change after 14 days.  I will expect to not see any changes until 14 days.
  3. The mice probably only had the autoimmune disease for a little while before starting the regimen.  I have had MS symptoms for 18 years, and have been diagnosed for five years.  I will be surprised if 3 weeks of this regimen resets my body to pre-MS. 
If I see significant improvement in 3 weeks I will consider making a modified plan of 2 days low calorie/5 days Mediterranean for the following months.
 
                                                                                               * * * * *
We are at a greatly different time with MS than 18 years ago when my symptoms first appeared.  The number of medications, their effectiveness, the fewer side effects, the other approaches to symptom reduction—these things have increased exponentially.
 
This study suggests a regimen—that is radical and cheap and easy—to reset our bodies to pre-MS.
 
Today is day 3 of this plan.  I’ll check back in three weeks from now!

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Using Diet to Stop inflammation and Repair our myelin sheath--

6/9/2016

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Stop inflammation and repair our myelin sheath--How?
 
Our Diet.  What and how we eat.
 
 
Today I want to talk about the most recent study on lowering inflammation.
 
May of 2016:  A Study on Lowering Inflammation and MS
This study, presented by the prestigious Boston Brigham and Women’s Hospital, shows that diet can lower inflammation in the brain of mice that exhibit MS symptoms (http://www.nationalmssociety.org/About-the-Society/News/Researchers-Funded-by-National-MS-Society-Show-(1)).    
 
First   A short explanation of the connection between inflammation and MS
 
In simple English, here is the relationship of inflammation to MS
  1.  We with MS have compromised myelin sheaths, which means that our nerve cells have trouble sending messages to parts of our body, sometimes just can’t ‘talk’ to parts of the body.  At that point we lose physical abilities, and this is called having MS symptoms (http://patient.info/health/multiple-sclerosis-leaflet). 
  2. Inflammation destroys the myelin sheath. 
  3. Whatever we can do to contain inflammation makes sense.
 
Second   A brief history of controlling MS symptoms with diet: 
 
70 years ago people had no idea that diet affects MS symptoms.  In 1948 Roy Swank published a ground-breaking study of the results of diet on lowering MS symptoms.  Many people, for decades, doubted this relationship.    Since then studies have explained why diet helps (lowers inflammation) and they have pinpointed foods that lower inflammation. 
 
Third   Anti-inflammation foods.
 
Here are suggested foods for increasing anti-inflammation:  (http://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/living-with-multiple-sclerosis/managing-ms-and-other-conditions/, http://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/living-well-with-multiple-sclerosis/anti-inflammatory-foods-for-multiple-sclerosis-pictures/).
 
  • Fatty fish Omega-3s help block the body's inflammatory response, according to a 2013 study in the journal "Immunity." However, most Americans consume 10 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3s. Too many omega-6 fatty acids can cause your immune system to become overactive and potentially lead to inflammation.   
  • Fruits/veggies A review of more than 46 studies of dietary patterns found that biomarkers of inflammation were significantly associated with meat-based diets, but not with vegetable and fruit-based diets (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nure.12035/abstract?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false).
  • Tumeric This is the spice found in curry and mustard, giving them both pungency and color. The source of that vibrant yellow is curcumin. Curcumin helps fight inflammation, and one doctor recommends having a teaspoon of this a day. Recent studies show that curcumin may play a direct role in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and related diseases (http://i-base.info/htb/6498, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4342365/). 
  • Ginger Fresh ginger extract has strong anti-neuroinflammatory characteristics (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030881461300770X).
  • Avocado—Avocados are a great source of healthy unsaturated fat and antioxidants. The anti-inflammatory properties of avocados are so strong that they may actually offset less healthy food choices. Researchers have found that eating the hamburger with about 2 ounces of avocado limited the inflammatory response seen after eating the hamburger alone (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23196671).
  • Healthy oils  such as olive oil, canola oil, soybean oil, or flaxseed oil are the goal of an MS diet (avoid corn or sunflower oil, which contain unhealthy omega-6 fatty acids).
  • Flax  is one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed also reduces the action of certain inflammation-causing genes. The seeds can pass through your intestines without being digested, so it's important to use ground flaxseed in order to benefit from its health properties. 
  • Walnuts Nuts are nutrient-dense--full of good fats, antioxidants, fiber, and magnesium, all of which have important roles in regulating inflammation. [Walnuts have the distinct ability to inhibit two players in the inflammatory response, according to a 2012 study in the journal "Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids" (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0952327812001263).
 
We live on the cusp of the cure of MS. 
Every month, every week, there are studies that suggest that both this goal and the goal of healing MS, both goals, are coming nearer, and at an accelerated pace. 
 
Meanwhile, we can be in charge of preparing our bodies for healing--and moving our bodies toward health.  We can choose to add foods that lower inflammation.  This is how diet helps us suppress symptoms.
 
Next week—how our diet plan can work toward re-myelation.
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Pain and stiffness--what we can do!

6/2/2016

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Don’t you hate getting pain and stiffness after you exercise?  
 
That happened to me when I took long walks in DC with my niece last month.  This matters to me.  Next year I want to walk a week on the Camino Santiago and that won’t happen if walking hurts.  

What to do?

The good news is that we CAN do something about it.

When this was clearly a problem for me, my first stop was Google, where I learned that  MS spasticity can take the form of stiff, pained joints.  I needed to counteract this.
  • First, I ordered tennis shoes which promised to end my knee soreness.  (They came, and immediately they worked!)
  • Second, I discovered the common wisdom to counteract MS spasticity—Stretch. 

Why do we need to stretch?  
For people with MS stiff soreness happens more easily and the first line of defense is stretching.   Why does this problem happen more to us?  Because of MS spasticity.  Spasticity contracts our muscles and after a while it hurts, makes us stiff. 

What causes spasticity
Our electrical signals are imbalanced.  This is a result of MS, and affects 80 percent of us (http://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/guide/controlling-muscle-spasms-multiple-sclerosis). 
 
Exercise when done right [stretch, rest] helps control spasticity (http://www.nationalmssociety.org/NationalMSSociety/media/MSNationalFiles/Brochures/Brochure-Stretching-for-People-with-MS-An-Illustrated-Manual.pdf).

Stretching is a Major Treatment for MS Spasticity
MS spasticity is treated with a basic stretching program.  This counteracts contraction, which is what spasticity has done to our muscles (http://www.nytimes.com/ health/guides/disease/multiple-sclerosis/print.html).
Daily stretching of our muscles to their full length does two things
  1.  It helps us manage spasticity,
  2. It makes it possible to start moving without the tentative creeping that is the result of stiff and sore muscles.
 
Combining stretching and joint stabilization exercises can not only reverse the problem of spasticity, but also can improve our muscle ability (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3996406/).

Range of motion stretching One form of stretching is range of motion exercises.  That means moving our joint as far as we can.   Range of motion (ROM) is said to be considered the basis of fitness and it minimizes risk of injury when practiced regularly [my italics] (Petajan JH, White AT. Recommendations for physical activity in patients with multiple sclerosis. Sports Med. 1999;27(3):179–91. [PubMed]).

When should we stretch?
We should do light stretching, lasting 20 to 60 seconds, before and after exercise (White LJ, Dressendorfer RH. Exercise and multiple sclerosis. Sports Med. 2004;34(15):1077–100.[PubMed]).  
I’m recovering from a week of real pain in my knees, and stiffness, so I stretch in the morning and after I exercise.  It works. 

Unexpected results of exercise and movement: brain activity!
Here is great news about we who have MS.  When compared to other groups of people, our brain gets activated in a unique way when we move our muscles.  Why? 
Because of something called neuroplasticity.  Our brains are discovering how to create new pathways to recover lost functions (Cifelli A, Matthews PM. Cerebral plasticity in multiple sclerosis: insights from fMRI. Mult Scler.2002;8(3):193–9 [PubMed], Rocca MA, Falini A, Colombo B, Scotti G, Comi G, Filippi M,.Ann Neurol. 2002;51(3):330–9. [PubMed], http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3375103/). [Note—don’t feel left out if you don’t have MS, this plasticity is dormant in your brain and will kick in on an as-needed basis.]



How often should we stretch? 
As often as we get sore and stiff muscles (https://www.researchgate.net/
profile/ /Helen_Dawes/publication/5322125_The_Effects_of_Stretching_in_Spasticity_A Systematic_Review/links/09e4150741d30bb260000000.pdf, 
https://www.msaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/spasticity.pdf)..

The great news is—we have ways of healing our own stiffness.  Stretching takes less than 2 minutes.   It feels good.  It works.
​
We can challenge spasticity, using that tried and true sports trainer method.  It's so easy!  Stretch!

[What else can we do?  Reduce inflammation--next week I want to look at studies that tell more about what we all suspected all along, that what we eat and when we eat can shift inflammation up or down--our choice!]
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May 26 MS Breathing Classes?

5/27/2016

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What Does Breathing have to do with MS?
 
Breathing is huge in our lives.  It grows more important the older we get.  Breathing also affects MS symptoms. 
 
Fatigue and MS
It is common knowledge that one of the most often reported symptom of MS is fatigue.  Breathing affects this symptom.

 One study reports “ Fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is highly prevalent and severely impacts quality of life….Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) significantly contributes to fatigue in MS.Study” (http://www.hindawi.com/journals/msi/2013/286581/).

Why is a breathing disorder associated with fatigue?  For this reason:  “People with weakened ventilatory muscles have to work harder to inhale and exhale. This extra effort can be quite tiring” (http://www.nationalmssociety.org/SymptomsDiagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Respiration-Breathing-Problems#section-0).
 
Sleep Disorders and MS
Another study explored two forms of sleep disorders and found them both to be higher in MS patients, particularly among those with brainstem involvement, than in the general population. 
  1. Obstructive sleep apnea [symptoms include snoring, daytime sleepiness and sudden waking cessation of breathing during sleep caused by something obstructing the breathing (VC vital capacity)]
  2. Central apneas [the main symptom is stopping breathing during sleep] (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3425840/).
 
Can we improve our breathing capacity?  
Yes!
 
Researchers from Sweden led a study that offered breathing training, aimed at improving capacity.  They found that VC (the amount of air we normally breathe out after we breathe in deeply) was improved, as was FVC (the amount of air we can force out, forced vital capacity).  “After 2 months of deep breathing exercises, MS patients showed a significantly different relative change in lung function, as compared with a control group”  (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/crj.12272/full). 
 
What else is affected by breathing?
Besides lung capacity and fatigue issues-- why is breathing so essential for treating MS?  The answer is mitochondria.
 
Mitochondria
Mitochondria is to our bodies like the battery is to our ipod.  It produces the energy needed to operate.

MS is one of the diseases which is affected by a disfunction of mitochrondria (http://www.umdf.org/atf/cf/%7B28038C4C-02EE-4AD0-9DB5-D23E9D9F4D45%7D/revised%20facts%20and%20links%20121608.pdf). 
For instance, disfunctional mitochondria is now being found to support MS progression (http://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com/2015/07/08/mitochondria-may-play-a-role-in-ms-development-and-progression/, http://www.drdalepeterson.com/
Secondwind_508daf4b1839e306a3654.html).
 
What can we do to support mitochondria?
One thing is—we can BREATHE! 
Studies show that mitochondrial diseases are associated with shallow breathing (http://www.umdf.org/atf/cf/%7B858ACD34-ECC3-472A-8794-39B92E103561%7D/mito101_Pulmonary_Koumbourlis.pdf). 

When we breathe deeply, using the diaphragm fully, we support the efficient use of oxygen in our body, which supports mitochondria (http://www.drdalepeterson.com/Secondwind_508daf4b1839e306a3654.html). 

Supplements, losing weight, and exercising so that we increase deep breathing are suggested ways to increase mitochondrial capacity (http://www.drwhitaker.com/3-ways-to-tune-up-your-mitochondria-and-enhance-energy/, http://www.cpmedical.net/newsletter/mitochondria-resuscitation-the-key-to-healing-every-disease)
 
How do we breathe more deeply? 
First, we can exercise, second, we can focus on deep belly breaths.  A sedentary lifestyle is terrible for mitochondria. All forms of movement and exercise along with full belly breathing can improve the performance of mitochondria throughout the body. Exercise reduces oxidative stress and boosts mitochondrial activity— improving oxygen flow and our blood’s pH (http://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/3-ways-improve-your-mitochondrial-function).
 
Doctors report that receiving oxygen at the cellular level induces health.  Here are three studies that discuss the different results from constant shallow or deep breathing:    
  1. Dr. H. J. Schunemann found in a long-term study that lung function predicts mortality rates (Framingham study, see http://www.breathing.com/articles/clinical-studies.htm).  The power of breathing makes it a predictor of long life (Framingham study and vital capacity: shttps://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Schunemann+and+Framingham+study&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi1_o_5_MrMAhWG_R4KHWn3AFIQgQMIGjAA). 
  2. Dr. Wendell Hendricks, (Two-time Nobel Laureate, Winner of the Nobel Prize for Cancer Research, Hendricks Research Foundation) reported that lower oxidation rates are associated with cancer and with allergies;
  3. Dr. Arthur Guyton theorized that all chronic pain, suffering and diseases are caused from a lack of oxygen at the cellular level (http://www.naturalhealth365.com/breathing-exercises.html/).  

​Deep breathing exercises are now looking more and more helpful.
 
My sister used to take breathing classes.  I would laugh.  After all, don’t we all know how to breathe? 
 
No.  We don’t.  We can do better, and it will make us healthier!
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Joint Pain, or How to Survive a 24 Hour Plane Ride

5/22/2016

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Joint Pain

Stiff, sore muscles can hurt.  I know from experience.
 
Once I had a job that included standing on concrete for hours at a time (one of those jobs!  I found that after work, when I went to visit someone and sat for a few minutes, it hurt to stand up and move around. 
 
Going to a movie was excruciating, because sitting for a long time in one position meant that my knees were going to complain loudly (only I could hear, of course) when I stood up to move again.
 
More recently, my DC trip showed me the limits of what my body wants me to put it through.  I got painfully stiff and sore knees and legs when I went for leisurely long walks with my niece.
 
Ironically, studies suggest that walking (along with other things like diet and other exercises) help MS symptoms and pain (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pmc/articles/PMC3874223/). 
But—walking caused the problem!  How would walking possibly get rid of the pain that walking brings on!
 
Solutions for joint pain
I tried things.
  1. I learned to insert a few minutes of rest on walks.  Do it all, suggested the Olympiad Jimmie Huega, after he was diagnosed with MS, just take breaks when needed!  That was my new plan.  It helped.  It didn’t do it all.
  2. I got highly recommended walking shoes.
That helped a great deal.  But, though the pain was gone, I still was stiff when I got home from walks and when I got up in the mornings. 
 
I needed to do more.
 
What finally helped was something very simple.
 
I created oil for my sore joints, in a minute of doing range-of-motion stretching.
 
Two years ago a yoga instructor, Mara Gallagher, gave me simple range-of-motion joint movements for my hips and ankles. Ever since, my had begun with them. 
 
The goal?  To increase something called synovial fluid.
 
It turns out that moving our joints increases an oil that lubricates them!  This is why when we have sore and stiff muscles it really won’t fix things to sit still for a long time.  We need to move, to create synovial fluid.
 
About Synovial Fluid (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synovial_fluid)
What does it do that helps sore joints? 
It absorbs shock.
It reduces friction.
Is there a limited amount available?
No, we can create it just by moving our joints!  That’s all we need to do. 
Synovial fluid is called weeping lubrication, because when we move, the synovial fluid that is held in the cartilage seeps out.  We only need to move our joints!
 
After the joint stress I had in DC, I wondered:  “Why won’t this synovial fluid help with this huge knee joint pain?
 
I tried a rendition of Myra’s method, a 60-second workout.  This is what I did:  I lifted my sore knees up and down, then lifted my knee up, slowly kicking my foot forward, then moving my foot behind me, as though I were trying out for a ballerina position.  I repeated this up-and-down, front-and-back motion until a minute passed, and my knees felt great.
 
I didn’t know about synovial fluid before.  Now I do and I use it.
 
Surviving 24-hour plane rides with synovial fluid
I just completed a 24-hour flight to Australia, and I’m about to do the same trip, in reverse, to get back home.  I decided to create synovial fluid to make the trip more comfy.    
 
I know how to let my knees lubricate themselves on 19 hour plane rides. 
 
No, I don’t do the ballerina position in the aisles.  What I do is this:  I move my hips and knees around while in my seat.  I walk up and down the aisles every single hour that I am awake. 
 
Maybe the people on the flight wonder what is calling me to the back of the plane every hour, or what makes me squirm in my seat, but, as my mom used to say, “Those people will never see you again anyway!”
 
Synovial fluid is easy to create.  It is always available.  It helps!
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MS: Location, Location, Location--Plus Our Input!

5/12/2016

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Does everybody know the motto of real estate?  Location!  Location!  Location!

Maybe you also know the motto of Multiple Sclerosis prevalence:  location, location, location. 

MS is more prevalent in some areas of the world.  We can use this information and plan how we want to approach our own MS—using the strength of location, finessing the challenges. 

What about Geography and MS?
A Web-md article says this about MS and geography:  The number of people who have multiple sclerosis (MS) increases the farther away they are from the equator.
In areas near the equator, MS occurs in fewer than 1 out of 100,000 people. In areas farther from the equator-such as northern Europe and northern North America-MS occurs in around 30 to 80 out of 100,000 people. When moving south of the equator, the number of people with MS is less dramatic, but the same trend is seen.
Most experts agree that this unusual relationship between geographic location and MS suggests that an environmental factor is partly responsible for causing the disease (http://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/tc/multiple-sclerosis-and-geographic-location-topic-overview)
This link is to a map of the US in terms of MS prevalency .The results are not completely intuitive:  lots of sun is supposed to be associated with low counts of MS, but Arizona isn’t doing as well as New Mexico.  However, all northern US states have a medium to high
Picture
Here is a link to the world map of MS prevalency.  The map basically says that Northern United States and Canada, and some European countries, win the MS prevalency prize.
Picture
The print is small, so this is a list of what it says:  Blue=High Risk; Red=Probable High Risk; Dark Yellow=Low Risk; Light Yellow=Probable Low Risk; Green= North/South gradiant risk; White=Other Risk. This map demonstrates unequal distribution of multiple sclerosis around the world.  There is no explanation for the terms ‘North South Gradiant Risk’ or ‘Other Risk’, but the picture basically says that Northern United States and Canada, and some European countries, win the MS prevalency prize.

​Despite this geographical picture, the prevalency MS cannot be explained by any individual environmental or genetic factor.  For instance, population studies have also been performed that demonstrate difference in susceptibility to MS.  When the racial differences are correlated, White populations are at greater risk than Asian or African populations (http://library.med.utah.edu/kw/ms/epidemiology.html
).  Diet is also a factor (See below for the effect of fish in the diet).
How do we build on the strengths of a location?
When a location has loads of sun, we can enjoy the Vitamin D that is soaking into our bodies via walks outside.  Vitamin D is now shown to play a role in both preventing and treating MS.

How do we finesse the liabilities of a location?
Here is one way.  Diet.  According to the MS World Map Japan and Scandinavia should have high MS prevalency, but they have a low incidence of MS.  Why?  One thing that is common in these places is a diet high in Omega 3—fish.

What else can we do?  Studies support these things:  lower stress, eat a diet with lots of colorful vegetables, stay away from the kind of oil that comes in potato chips, exercise 30 minutes a day 4 times a week.

These are things that are suggested for good health for all people, and for us, it becomes even more important.  We often see changes in our MS symptoms, huge and dramatic changes, when we do these things.


I’m visiting a low-incidence country this week, Australia.  I am taking notes to see what, besides sun, is conducive to low MS rates here.  Our disease is like a whodunit novel, there are hints, but the answer, the solution, is still puzzling the experts.  We are part of the solution, we with MS who try new things, learn more ways to live the lives we want!  Geography, location, are not the final word.  We are.
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Do Everything.  Include Rest Stops.    

5/5/2016

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Does anyone remember Jimmy Huega?

He won an Olympic medal for skiing in 1968—and then was diagnosed with MS in 1970. 

When Jimmy got MS the common wisdom was to rest.  Rest in bed. Get in bed and get ready to stay there for the duration.  

Jimmy thought there must be another approach.  He gave motivational speeches for relate people with MS with a radical departure from the current wisdom.  His message:  get moving!  Push yourself to the limit, he said. 

But don’t overdo it.  If you get tired, stop.  Rest.  Then: get up and keep going till you reach your goal. 

I have a friend with MS who told me how she stays positive.  I DO NOT OVERDO IT—I NOTICE WHEN I NEED REST.

Jimmy Huega’s advice to stop and rest never really applied to me.  My friend’s choice to notice when she needs rest doesn’t relate to me.  I also don’t have spasticity as a result of MS. 

So I thought.

This week I learned (1) that spasticity causes more than a jerking movement, it also results in painfully stiff muscles when I don’t rest when needed, and (2) Huega and my friend are right— DO NOT OVERDO IT—REST WHEN NEEDED.

What does spasticity have to do with ignoring rest?
This week my niece walked with me so that I would get ‘my miles’ in.  Donned in cushioned sneakers, I was ready for the DC sidewalks—or so I thought!

Three days in a row I was limping by the time I got home, though I did my best to camouflage it (my niece is very kind, and I will never know if she noticed that I was grabbing rails to get up her steps and back in the house). 

I knew something was happening—either MS was claiming another piece of my body or else I was not treating my stiff muscles right.  That is when I learned more about spasticity. 

What studies say about Multiple Sclerosis and spasticity
“Spasticity happens because of an imbalance in the electrical signals coming from the brain and spinal cord, often when multiple sclerosishas damaged the nerves there. This unevenness makes muscles contract on their own and makes them tense” (http://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/guide/controlling-muscle-spasms-multiple-sclerosis). 

This article explained that we with MS, more than others, are more likely to experience spasticity when we work out.

In other words the result of hard exercise, on some people with MS—not me—is spasticity is  uncontrolled muscle jerking or contracting.

So I thought.

Spasticity more than a muscle jerking 
Another study explains:  “spasticity can be defined as a tightening or stiffness of the muscle due to increased muscle tone, and is often made worse when muscles are quickly stretched or moved (http://www.nationalmssociety.org/NationalMSSociety/media/MSNationalFiles/Brochures/Brochure-Stretching-for-People-with-MS-An-Illustrated-Manual.pdf)

MS causes my leg muscles to get tight and stiff when I push myself to the limit.  That’s spasticity.

Huega’s Approach   Jimmy Huega didn’t say stop pushing to do the most you can do.  Huega said to do everything you can do, just take rests. 

Like my friend I will learn to notice my body and to not ignore it when it wants a rest.

It is ironically empowering to identify where the painful stiffness came from.  Now I can strategize and it is easier to deal with.  I follow Huega’s advise—I am learning to rest for a couple of minutes when I feel the invisible pain start.

One form of rest for me is sitting down when I feel stiffness and that invisible beginning of pain.  Admitting when my body wants to take a break is something to learn—but Huega is my coach now, and when I need the 5 minute rest, I am determined to take it.

.................................................................................................................................................................
The studies have another method to counteract spasticity.  Next week I’ll share that, and also the unexpected perk of that method.

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    Author--
    ​Rosalie Richards

    MS keeps coming in stages.  The first 'maybe' diagnosis was in 2004, the next 'for sure' one came in 2011.

    I thought that was the end of the story, but life with MS keeps unfolding.  

    I'd enjoy reading your posts.

    If you like this blog, check out my books--
    Beyond MS  Your Best Life and 
    Beyond MS--Get Moving!

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